


give me a hand o’ thine

by katyfaise



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, just so much fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-02
Updated: 2015-01-02
Packaged: 2018-03-04 21:51:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 831
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3091802
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katyfaise/pseuds/katyfaise
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's nearly a new year. And nearly a new beginning.</p>
            </blockquote>





	give me a hand o’ thine

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know.. I've just been on such a bethyl kick lately. This is for the new year and title is taken from auld lang syne.

They found a watch still ticking last week in an abandoned car. It wasn’t much, but to Beth it was something that she cherished. An item she held in her hands and stared at for hours, watching as the time ticked away slowly - the monotonous noise serving as a way to keep the balance in her mind while she hummed songs she made up. 

The date read December 31.

“Do you know what today is?”

Though she expected Daryl to answer in his usual grunt, he looked up instead from the fire he was building. The sun would set soon and if they didn’t have a fire then the night would be horrible. 

“How am I suppose to know?”

Beth smiled and held up the watch, the gold links heavy in her hand. “It’s New Year’s Eve.”

Daryl looked back to the stack of twigs and rocks and paused, seeming to think about what she said. “Never did like that holiday. Thought it was stupid to celebrate another year of the same ‘ole shit.”

She nodded then, thinking what he said over. It wasn’t like Daryl ever talked about his past, but Beth knew it hadn’t been peaceful - not like hers had been. While she’d worried about school or boys Daryl worried about surviving. That was their difference, she had figured out quickly. 

He was born a survivor - she was molded into one.

“When I was little, mama let me stay up past my bedtime every year so we could watch the fireworks outside. Daddy hated it; he said that without sleep I was too cranky, but she didn’t care. She would let me drink sparkling cider and tell me it was midnight way too early because she knew I couldn’t make it all the way through. It was always fun,” she trailed off then, holding her knees close to her chest. “I miss that a lot.”

Daryl liked hearing about Beth’s life, about how peaceful and different it was from his. She never had to worry about making her father mad, because Hershel would never do anything to harm her. She never had to worry about bailing someone out of jail like he did with Merle because Maggie was responsible and cared about other people more than herself. That sort of life molded Beth into someone soft and caring, someone that differed from him greatly. 

She sighed heavily, eyes on the sun that was setting in the distance. Remembering the normal times didn’t seem so normal anymore. This was normal now; sleeping in the woods and fighting for food and survival. Her memories seemed distant now, like photos in some old scrapbook. There were some memories that were more torn and stained than others and she knew that somewhere in the future it was these moments she would remember. 

And somehow that broke her heart.

It was in these moments that she found herself grateful for Daryl - for the way his movements were monotonous and distracting. He took her to hunt for squirrels and rabbits and when they returned, she busied herself by rebuilding the fire. Before she knew it, the darkness had enveloped them and the only light for miles was the fire that crackled in front of them. 

Hours seemed to pass much slower these days, even though she had the watch to keep an eye on the time. But as the night grew she found herself growing more and more tired. Beth let Daryl take first watch and she leaned against him, sleeping comfortably with her head laid on his shoulder. It was hours later when he woke her gently and she sat up to wipe the sleep from her eyes. Against the dim light of the fire, she looked at the watch. It was nearly midnight.

Nearly a brand new year. 

“Look at what time it is,” she said, holding the watch out for Daryl to see. 

He looked tired and not nearly as excited as she did, but there was a shadow of a smile on his lips. Beth huddled close, eyes on the minutes ticking away while Daryl sat quietly, trying to appear as nonchalant as possible, but she could swear his eyes stayed on the watch just as hers. 

“Three… Two… One…”

The date flipped over to the first as the watch turned to midnight. Another year was upon them and she couldn’t help but feel this was how she was supposed to spend it - Alongside Daryl. She leaned close to him and placed a small kiss against his chapped lips. Beth pulled away, a blush rising to her cheeks. She’d never had a New Year’s kiss and she wondered if he had some time in his varied past. It was silent between them until Daryl coughed and sat up straighter.

“Happy new year, Beth.”

She smiled then and rested her head against his shoulder. It wasn’t what she used to call ‘happy’ but she was alive and somehow that seemed like enough.


End file.
